New Ulm weekly review., 1887-09-21
MATEENITY AVOIDED.
My american N1msn Do Not Desire to Be
come Mothers.

The following article by DR.. VIM. A.
Hammond, MeeIebrated physician OF
New York, issattracting much atten-
ton: have often been asked, Why
do Americamwomen avoid maternity
more than the women of other coun-
tries?
The sense 'od,duty in this respect is
gradually becoming less imperative
with the women of all civilized
countries. Their chief regard is for
themselves and their own homes, and
they care lSttle or nothing for the
rest. The maternal instinct is dying
out before education and refinement
and is already in great part succeeded
by factor. which is nothing more
than an acto6 the intellect by which
the Advantages and disadvantages OF
the case are fully considered. Fifty
years ago probably not one young
married coaplein a thousand thought
OF this subject Now it is in many
cases calmly discussed, especially
when the, e,parties are in position Of
lie above that of the very lowest.
The indisposition to assume the
cares andresponsibilities of mother.
mood exist to q greater or less extent
throughout the whole civilized world.
ButI amavery confident from my own
personal experience, as we'll as from
the observation OF many physicians
and intelligent laymen with whom l
have conferred, that American wom-
en- are, pre-emlnent among those of all
civilizeds nations in their anxiety to
escape.the obligations that the bear
ing andrearing OF children impose. It
IS true that the women of France are
not far behind in this rather ignoble,
race, and that English women are rap
IDLY gaining prominent place in 1t,
bat for the present at least Americans
women lead. There are many reasons
lor this pre- -eminence
In. the first place, many American,
women are SO educated as to ACQUIRE.
the belief that the personal display;
lnxury and what they call "excite..
ment' are the principal considerar,
tions by which they are to be actuab-
ed In their pursuit Of happiness. tt is
only necessary to see them, of all ages,
as they frequent the various. resorts
to which they flock in the summer
and to observe their dress and man
ners in order to perceive how wild Is
their idea of the place Of woman in
the world.
1t is said that Americans women bv
being allowed such freedom, soon ac-
qulre the ability to take.care OF them
selves; but it is just this sense OF pow
or When they attain 1T which is to a
great extent one of the circumstances
which influence thena, in. their antagon-
ism to maternity. They know that
with the care OF. children on their
hands their liberties would be curtail-
ed and their independence would, in a
great measure, vanish.
But to return. to the summer re-
sorts. Here from the child of less
than q Dozen years up to the age of
maturity, bedecked in silks and satins
OF gorgeous hues and often blazing with
diamonds and other precious stones,
they assemble ght after night in the
ballroom to engage in promiscuous
dancing with boys and men they had
never met before. They are sharp
enough to perceive that the women
with children who may be in the house
can not participate in thegayeties and
that they receive little attention. The
lesson is one that they never unlearn.
They flirt with one man alter an
other, employing wiles which excite
tho q cf ich 4f 4 \ IL
the mothers are either looking after
their babies or sitting in corners feel
ing that a summons to attend one of
them may at any moment come. The
bellies know that only rich men could
provide them with servants re.
quisite to attend to the wants of chill
dren, but they also know that rich
men are few and far between.
After all, the fault in such cases
rests primarily with the parents.
They are, perhaps, the architects Of
their own fortunes. arriving at COM
petence only after severe struggles and
the endurance Of many hardships.
Proud OF their daughters so-called ac-
complishments, they crafty them
selves by showing her off arrayed
with a degree Of splendor far beyond
what her mother had ever dreamed OF
in her most hilarious slumbers. They
see her admired by men OF higher so
cial position than the one they had
occupied in their young days and they
feel fully compensated for the poverty
and all it's attendant evils OF their
own married life, with their six or
more children, when they witness the
social triumphs Of their girl.
"Ah!" heard a mother say one
night at fashionable watering place
where her two daughters, neither of
them fifteen years old, magnifcently
attired, and with solitaire diamouds
sparkling in their ears, we're rushing
through a round dance with partners
to whom another girl of like age bad
just introduced them-"A if it had
not been for my children might have
been just as fire a belle as either OF
those girls Doubtless she had said